Initially I had a build in mind for a Hunter that uses a reach weapon and rides an Ape into combat. Lots of attacks of opportunity. But I recently discovered a trait that may send me into a different direction.
Regional trait
Community Minded: Requirement(s) Rahadoum
While some pray to the gods for mercy or prosperity, you follow a different tack—you believe in improving the lives of those around you through earnest labor and the efforts of you and your community. Your hard-earned discipline and the candor of your words affect all who bear witness. Any morale bonuses you confer upon your allies through your own abilities or spells last 2 additional rounds.
I have a specific morale bonus in mind.
Ferocious Beast (Ex) While the barbarian is raging, her animal companion also gains the benefits of rage (including greater rage, mighty rage, and tireless rage), though the barbarian must spend 1 additional round of rage per round if her companion begins or ends its turn adjacent to her, and 2 additional rounds of rage per round if not.
So round 1 I spend 2 rounds of rage. One for me and one for my mount. Round 2 I spend one round for me but no rounds for my animal companion because it is covered for 2 more rounds.
However there isn't much else I want as a Barbarian I want the bonuses to my animal companion that Hunter grants.
So my initial idea looks like this.
Level 1 Half-Orc Barbarian with Community Minded and Berserker of the Society traits.
Level 2 Another level of Barbarian and take the Ferocious Beast rage power. Current rage rounds per day are 9 + con mod. Probably +2.
Level 3 Switch to Hunter and take the Boon Companion feat. Companion at this level will probably be something with multiple attacks. Default animal focus ability will be +2 strength of course.
Level 4 Switch to Ape companion since it is large and gets 3 attacks. I can ride it into combat and we will pretty much always get the +4 to hit from Outflank in addition to the +2 from raging.
Level 5 Take the Amplified Rage teamwork feat. It increases the rage bonuses for us both by +4 but only when we are both raging. Ape now has 34 strength. I now have +8 not counting any enhancement bonuses I might have.
I have a few concerns.
Ideally I want to be riding a Tiger at level 7. All of those strength bonuses on up to 5 attacks is awesome. Problem is the Tiger gas Grab. Usually great but some of the best teamwork feats involve opportunity attacks and it can't take them if it is grappling.
I'll only have about 11 or 12 rage rounds a day. A 3 round combat costs me about 4 rounds of rage. I'll have to take a feat (or some item?) to sustain the combo.
Losing 2 rounds of Hunter hurts. Not only the loss to my spellcasting buffs but I won't get greater animal focus until level 10.
I considered Inquisitor (Sacred Huntsmaster) but the free Outflank from the Hunter is very helpful.
Any advice you can offer would be appreciated.